More Than Friends - Round 2 of the Quidditch League Fanfic Competition
by HarryPotterGirlForever
Summary: Submitted for Round 2 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Oneshot. Teddy and Victoire have been friends for ever. So what will Teddy do when he starts to feel like he wants more than friendship from her?


_Quidditch League, Round 2_

_Position: Beater 1_

_Prompts: "Hatred knows no bounds, huh." (dialogue) and friction (word)._

_Character: Teddy Lupin_

_Verb: Drinking_

_Word Count: 2417_

**More than Friends**

Victoire brushed back her silky blonde hair and studied herself in the mirror. She wanted to look her absolute best for the ball tonight. She wanted to look her absolute best for _him_. Victoire sighed. Not that he would care how she looked, of course. He had made _that_ perfectly clear in recent weeks.

Slipping her dressing gown on, Victoire went over to the bed and sat down, glaring at the floor. What had happened? They used to be such good friends; they used to spend all their free time together; he used to _like_ her! But ever since that night, three weeks ago… Ever since then, he had avoided her and been acting like suddenly, he hated her. Had he _always_ hated her? Had the past 15 years of her life all been a lie?

Victoire's glum thoughts were interrupted as her bubbly roommate, Chelsea, burst into the room.

"Hey Vicky!" she called, as happy as ever. Victoire waved feebly in her general direction and went back to staring at the ground. Chelsea came over and knelt down beside her. "What's wrong, honey?" she asked quietly.

Victoire shrugged her hand off and turned away. "It's nothing, Chelsea," she muttered. "Sorry, but I need to get ready," she continued, shouldering roughly past Chelsea and heading to the bathroom.

"I know what this is about, Vicky."

Victoire paused by the door. She turned to look at Chelsea. "What _what_ is about?" she asked slowly.

Chelsea raised an eyebrow. "Oh please, don't act like you don't know," Victoire continued to stare at her, puzzled. "Why you're being so bitchy!" Chelsea cried. Victoire opened her mouth to protest, but Chelsea interrupted. "It's him, isn't it? Because he's being so cold to you?"

Victoire glared at Chelsea for a moment and looked like she was about to yell. Then her gaze softened and she gave a small nod, before sinking to the floor with her back resting against the wall.

Chelsea went over to Victoire and sat down on the floor next to her, putting an arm around her comfortingly. "It's alright, Vicky. It'll be fine. He's just a stupid _boy_ who doesn't realise what he's missing out by ignoring you," she said and Victoire allowed herself a small smile. Chelsea always knew exactly what to say.

"But…" Victoire began, pausing as a tear rolled slowly down her cheek. Chelsea brushed it away tenderly with her thumb. "But we used to be so _close_, Chelsea!" she cried, more hot tears spilling from her eyes.

Chelsea nodded sadly. "I know how you feel, Vicky," she said empathetically.

"I mean, we used to be best friends. We did everything together!" Victoire cried again, her voice rising as she grew angrier. "But now… Now he's been avoiding me, and the few times he can't avoid talking to me, there's so much friction!" she leant her head on Chelsea's shoulder, her tears splashing onto the floor around them.

"What could have changed to make him hate me so much?" she asked quietly. Chelsea glanced surreptitiously at her watch. Only half an hour until the ball. They needed to get ready!

"You know what, Vicky?" she said, standing up and pulling Victoire up with her. "He doesn't deserve to be your friend. If he's going to treat you so horribly for no reason, then maybe we should be horrible back!" she cried, her eyes glinting with that mischievousness that Victoire always associated with Slytherins.

Victoire rubbed her eyes and wiped her tears away. Crying time was _over_. "I agree, Chelsea," she said. "But how can we get revenge? I don't want to get into trouble!" Chelsea smiled evilly.

"We're going to use the best weapon at our disposal," she said coolly.

Victoire frowned. "What's that?"

Chelsea put her arm around Victoire and guided her to the chair in front of the mirror. "You."

* * *

Teddy Lupin glanced at the clock on the wall of his room. Only half an hour until the ball started. He started to get excited at the prospect of it, until he remembered who he would see there. _Victoire_. Teddy sighed and sat down on his bed, his hair turning a dull steel colour.

And not just that, but she would be dressed up. Probably in a beautiful dress, her enchanting blonde hair done up in an extravagant twist, her face practically shining with beauty… How would he cope?

Of course, Teddy hadn't _actually_ started hating Victoire. He didn't see how it was possible for anyone to hate that bewitchingly gorgeous girl. But that was the thing. She wasn't a girl anymore, she was almost a woman. A woman who Teddy knew he wouldn't be able to help falling in love with. He wasn't even sure if he hadn't already fallen in love with her. How was he supposed to tell?

_Does the fact that I think of her almost all the time suggest that I love her? Or how I watch her out of the corner of my eye, every time she is in the room? _

_Well, it didn't matter now. Because weeks ago, as soon as I started thinking of her as anything other than my best friend, I went and idiotically tried to distance myself from her._

_What was I thinking? Did I _actually_ think that avoiding her and being cold to her would change the way I feel? _

Teddy groaned and held his head in his hands. What had he done? She would never forgive him for being so horrible, even if he did come completely clean and told her why.

_Oh well_, he thought. _I guess I'll just wait and see what happens tonight_.

* * *

"You look beautiful," Chelsea gushed, looking Victoire up and down, admiring her handiwork. "Like a Queen," Victoire blushed and looked at the ground, as modest as ever.

"So do you, Chelsea," she replied.

Chelsea grinned. "We are _so_ going to make Teddy pay for _ever_ having the nerve to be mean to you!" she cried enthusiastically.

Victoire nodded glumly. She didn't know why, but suddenly the thought of doing _anything_ that would hurt Teddy, in any way, seemed terribly unappealing. But she covered up her doubt with a smile and turned to the door. "Shall we go? The ball started a few minutes ago, everyone is probably there already."

Chelsea nodded, just putting the finishing touches to her makeup. "I'm ready if you are," she smiled. "I'm sure everything will go fine, and the night will end with Teddy regretting _ever_ doing anything nasty to you."

Victoire smiled appreciatively at her friend, glad she had someone who could comfort her through this time.

"Well, let's go," she said, and the girls left the room.

* * *

The great hall looked amazing. The decorating committee had done themselves proud this year, as with every year. It was a Christmas ball, so there were winter-themed decorations everywhere. Paper snowflakes were strung across every wall, the floor was dusted with soft white powder – snow – with more raining gently down from the ceiling, so a snowy layer had settled on everything. It all looked enchanting.

Already, a lot of pupils had spilled into the hall and were dancing to the music from the band, which was set up at the end of the hall, on the raised platform where the teachers usually sat during meals. Teddy was sitting in the corner of the room, as far from the doors as possible. He was hoping that when Victoire entered the room – no doubt looking breathtakingly beautiful, as always – she wouldn't see him there.

However, when Victoire entered the room – looking stunning, as predicted – her eyes locked on Teddy's straight away and he sighed. There was no getting away from her this time. He would just have to try and ignore his heart pounding in his ears and his eyes losing focus as he took in her smooth, elegant features.

Victoire began towards him and he shrank back subconsciously. _For goodness sake, Teddy!_ He thought angrily. _You're going to have to talk to her at some point. Just get it over with_.

Teddy stood up as straight as he could and, using all his self-control, managed to stand his ground as Victoire arrived before him.

_Ok, this is it_, Victoire thought, her heart beating fast. _Now is your chance to make him pay for what he's been doing to you_.

"Hi, Teddy," she began, her voice silky. Teddy opened his mouth to answer, but it stayed hanging open for a few seconds before he realised this was when he was supposed to speak.

"Umm…" he spluttered. "Hello, Victoire," Teddy inwardly cursed himself for sounding so shaky and unsure. If he was even going to _attempt_ to make amends tonight, he would need to convince Victoire that he was a great guy – which included being able to string a sentence together.

Victoire looked down at the floor and smiled shyly. "Do I look alright?" she asked, her brow furrowing in concern and worry.

Teddy thought this was ridiculous. Victoire, doubting her appearance? What was wrong with the world!? _He_ should be the one worrying about how he looked, not this perfect girl. He opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again as he was not sure he could trust himself to answer. "Excuse me, I need a drink," he muttered, pushing roughly past Victoire and rushing to the drinks table.

_What a jerk!_ Victoire thought angrily. _Why did I have pity on him? I can't believe he just ditched me, again! _And just like that, all the resignation she'd felt for wanting to make him pay, all the pity she felt for him, vanished.

She stormed over to the drinks table, where Teddy was gulping down firewhiskey. "Ok Teddy, what is _up_ with you!?" she cried crossly. Teddy poured more firewhiskey into a glass and drank it down quickly before he addressed her.

"I don't know, what's up with me?" he asked with as much nonchalance as he could muster. Victoire glared at him.

She felt a wave of bitterness and sadness wash over her. How could someone who had been such a good friend, had been her best friend, suddenly hate her? "Hatred knows no bounds, huh," she muttered. Teddy looked taken aback. "We used to be _best friends_!" she yelled at him furiously. "WE WERE BEST FRIENDS! And you've ruined it all! You've destroyed our friendship! And the worst part is…" Victoire gulped, tears beginning to stream down her face. "The worst part is," she repeated. "The worst part is… I don't even know why," she finished softly, lifting her gaze and staring reproachfully into Teddy's enchanting blue eyes.

Teddy softened and reached out a hand, caressing Victoire's arm gently. Then, realising what he was doing, he snatched his arm back, shoving both hands into his pockets.

Victoire sniffed again, brushing away her was he doing this to her? For 15 years they had been inseparable, and now… Now, he acted like just touching her repulsed him to his very core!

And suddenly, her knees went limp and she collapsed forwards, her weariness and sorrow finally overcoming her. Teddy leapt forward and caught her, gathering her up in his arms like he did when they were little. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Teddy pulled her in close, taking in her hair, spread out over her; her warm breath on his neck; the way her body fit perfectly against his as he carried her up to the dormitories.

They arrived in the common room and Teddy gently set Victoire down on the sofa and sat down beside her. She turned to him, the tears now just smudges against her pale, porcelain skin. "Why, Teddy?" she whispered softly. "Why?"

Teddy looked down at the ground, guilt filling him up once again. "Because…" he began. He swallowed, then continued, his voice shaking. "Because we've been best friends for fifteen years," he said slowly. Victoire frowned.

"But why should that matter? Don't you want to be my friend?" she asked, her voice full of hurt and betrayal.

"No, of _course_ I love being your friend," Teddy cried. "But…" he paused, gathering himself up. "But I was afraid of the way I had begun to think of you. I was afraid it would ruin our friendship, that you would never speak to me again – and believe me, that is the _last_ thing I want. To lose you from my life forever? Just the thought of it… I would do anything to stop that from happening, and I guess that I thought the only way that we could stay friends when we leave Hogwarts was if I distanced myself from you now – to stop myself doing something I would regret, something that would make you detest me."

Victoire put a hand to her mouth in surprise and her eyes started to water again. "Teddy…" she began.

"No, no, don' say it, please," Teddy said, panic bubbling up inside him. "I know it's going to come eventually, but not right now," he continued. "Please, just let me spend this last night with you before you leave!" he cried.

Victoire placed a delicate finger over his lips, silencing him. "You were afraid…" she began slowly. "You were afraid… Of there being an _us_?" she asked, as if that were the most ridiculous idea ever. Teddy nodded slowly. Victoire laughed, a light, tinkly sound, like wind chimes knocking together in the soft breeze. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have heard, in my whole life!" Teddy frowned.

"It is?" he asked. Victoire nodded.

"No matter what happens, we will _always_ be best friends," Victoire promised, pulling Teddy into a tight hug.

Teddy sighed with relief. And then, as he was about to say 'Great' or 'That's a relief' or something, _anything_, she whispered something else.

It was so quiet, at first he thought he'd misheard, but when Teddy leant back and looked at Victoire's face, she was smiling and blushing slightly and he knew he'd heard her right. "Well, it's getting late, Ted. Goodnight," she said, before turning and dashing up the stairs to the girls' dorms.

And Teddy was left there, a bit stunned, his mind still reeling. He sighed. Clearly, he had been worrying for nothing.

Teddy turned and went up the stairs to his room, still thinking about what Victoire had said;

"And someday… Maybe even _more_ than best friends."


End file.
